On Thursdays from noon to 1 p.m. at the Issaquah Community Hall, I’m known as “the coffee guy.” I stand near the door as 50 or more people come through for a shared lunch provided by a circle of people of which I’m part, offering my “best in Issaquah,” home-roasted brew.

A new pilot program will move as many as 350 homeless families in King County into rental housing by Dec. 31, 2014, and provide a range of short duration support services to help those families achieve stability.

More than $3.1 million will be dedicated to the pilot over the course of the next year.

The pilot program, Rapid Rehousing for Families, will provide short-term financial assistance and temporary housing-focused supports, including employment and training services, to help remove the barriers that hinder homeless families from accessing and maintaining housing. The program is designed to resolve the housing crisis, while also working with families to move toward independence.